A type of lens with concentric circular grooves that can focus or spread light, commonly used in theatre lighting, lighthouses, and cameras.
Named after Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788-1827), a French physicist who invented the lens. The invention emerged from his work on the wave nature of light and was designed to make lighthouse lighting more efficient.
Fresnel's ingenious lens design let lighthouses use less light to reach farther ships—it's pure physics innovation, and naming scientific tools after their inventors (eponym) is a tradition that honors their contribution to human progress!
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